Our Review
Allen Toussaint brings an R&B sensibility to the holidays with his impressive A New Orleans Christmas. The record leads with the unusual Christmas This Year, featuring Larry Hamilton's vocals. It follows up with Raymond Myles vocals on We Three Kings, reminding me for a moment of Stevie Wonder. Completing the R&B trifecta is Hamilton's New Year's Resolution, performed as a poignant romantic duet with Tricia Boutté.
These three songs alone are more entertainment than I expect from a Christmas outing. But from there the record progresses through several brassy sounding New Orleans arrangements of seasonal classics. Later, Allen Toussaint treats us to two very nice barrelhouse piano solos, on Silent Night and Winter Wonderland.
As if that isn't enough, Tricia Boutté almost steals the record near the end, with rocking, gospel, R&B arrangement of Do You Hear What I Hear (always a favorite in these parts). Grace Darling puts an exclamation point on the recording with Merry Christmas, Baby.
If you haven't tuned in New Orleans lately, you will be pleasantly surprised by the sounds percolating out of the Crescent City these days.
--Richard Banks
(Reviewed in 2000)
No More
Allen Toussaint and Friends
A New Orleans Christmas
Artist link
Label: NYNO
Length: 52 minutes
Genre: Blues
Release: 1997
Track List
| Song Title |
|---|
| Christmas This Year |
| We Three Kings |
| New Years Resolution |
| Santa's Second Line |
| Silent Night, Holy Night |
| Christmas Comes But Once A Year |
| Christmas In New Orleans |
| Jingle Bells |
| Holy Night |
| The Christmas Song |
| Winter Wonderland |
| Do You Hear What I Hear |
| Merry Christmas Baby |